Russia Offers Assistance To Fight In Afghanistan

The Russian government and four former Soviet republics, have offered to provide assistance to coalition and American forces fighting in Afghanistan even as one, Kyrgzstan cut off access of America to an air base in its territory. Russian President Dimitry Medvedev said, Khyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan have agreed to a “full-pledged and comprehensive cooperation” with NATO forces in the region. The offer is undoubtedly linked to hopes by the Medvedev-Putin government that Barack Obama will end Bush attempts to construct missile bases in Poland and the Czech Republic which they regard as aggressive actions against Russia.There is still some murky and confusing aspects of the statement particularly in light of ending American access to an air base in the region.

George Bush never grasped that Russia was also concerned about having a militant Afghanistan on its border which might stir up Muslims in Russia to engage in separatist actions. There were always joint goals and aspirations which Bush simply never could grasp.